Gauntlet Gallery — Complete KAWS Index
Kaws Companion : Passing Through (Open Edition - Grey)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Passing Through is one of KAWS's most beloved Companion poses: the figure sits hunched with its gloved hands covering its face, knees drawn up, in a posture of weariness or quiet despair. This grey open-edition rendering presents that iconic seated form as an accessible vinyl figure derived from the larger Passing Through Companion sculpture. The Companion's Mickey-Mouse-inspired body and crossed-out X eyes are rendered in KAWS's clean, mass-produced finish, with the grey colorway giving it a muted, sculptural look. As an open edition, it was made in larger numbers than KAWS's limited drops, putting an instantly recognizable KAWS icon within reach of newer collectors.
Collector notes: Edition label was not stated, and total quantity was not documented in the saved record. Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The Passing Through pose is among KAWS's signature images, the figure with its face buried in its hands, and it perfectly encapsulates why his work resonates: a cute, cartoon-bodied character expressing exhaustion, sadness, or shame. That emotional legibility, delivered through a friendly form, is the heart of KAWS's appeal. As an open edition, this grey version functions as a gateway object: it spreads one of his most important motifs to a wide audience while remaining affordable and collectible. Open editions are central to KAWS's democratizing strategy, blurring the line between fine art, designer toy, and consumer product, and they have helped build the enormous global fan base that underpins his market. For collectors, owning the Passing Through figure means holding one of the definitive KAWS poses, even in an accessible format, making it a frequent entry point and a fixture on shelves alongside other Companion variants.
Collector Perspective
This appeals strongly to entry-level and mid-tier KAWS collectors who want a recognizable, display-ready icon without the cost of limited drops. The seated, face-covering pose is visually compelling and reads instantly as KAWS, making it an excellent shelf or display piece. Its grey colorway is versatile and neutral, pairing well with brighter Companion variants in a grouped display. Within a collection, it serves as a foundational Companion: many collectors own multiple Passing Through colorways and sizes, and the open-edition grey is a logical anchor. Because it was produced in larger numbers, it carries less rarity premium, so buyers value it for completeness, display, and the strength of the pose rather than scarcity-driven appreciation.
Historical Context
The Companion is KAWS's central character, evolving from his late-1990s and 2000s vinyl figures into monumental sculptures and globally exhibited works. The Passing Through pose extends that lineage, translating the larger sculptural Companion into accessible editioned figures. This grey open edition belongs to KAWS's Toy and Vinyl era of practice, where designer-toy production drove his crossover into mainstream culture. It reflects the strategy that made KAWS a household name: taking a museum-scale, emotionally resonant sculpture and reissuing its form as a collectible object available to a broad public, bridging fine art and consumer culture.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned print or object
- Release date
- 2013
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Series
- Companion Series
- Medium and materials
- Medium and materials were not documented in the saved record.
- Edition details
- Edition label was not stated, and total quantity was not documented in the saved record.
- Signature and marks
- Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: This page treats KAWS's broader career as background context, not proof that this specific edition belongs to any single exhibition or event. Release-level facts here come from a saved secondary catalog record.
Meaning / interpretation: No per-work artist statement is recorded for this edition. Any thematic reading should be treated as interpretation of the imagery, not a documented statement of the artist's intent. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2013. It is grouped under Companion Series in the saved record.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
- Authentication note
- Compare the support, dimensions, edition number, and signature against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet Gallery does not authenticate works purchased from third parties.
- Provenance note
- Edition origin is attributed in the saved record to the release source named in the saved record. That does not establish the ownership history of an individual copy: retain the original invoice, reseller or gallery paperwork, labels, correspondence, and condition photographs.
Sources and Verification
Verification status: Secondary catalog snapshot; artist-level context added
- KAWSONE — official site — KAWS studio · primary artist source · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Official artist site; career context, not an individual-edition record.
- KAWS — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
- KAWS (Q3194367) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.
Market Context
- Estimated value. The median of recorded public sale prices for this piece, matched by title and colorway. We use the median (not the average) because it resists outliers.
- Min / max sale. The lowest and highest individual recorded sale prices; the range shows dispersion, not a guaranteed band.
- Recorded comps. The number of independent comparable sales; reliability rises with sample size (1–2 sales are indicative only).
- Liquidity & sales volume. Our liquidity rating reflects sales velocity — the number of recorded comparable sales and how recent the latest sale is. More frequent and more recent sales rate as more liquid (Highly Liquid → Liquid → Moderate → Thin → Very Thin); a piece with no recorded public sales is Extremely Rare.
- Estimate confidence. A traffic-light read on how well the data supports the estimate: green high, yellow medium, red low / indicative.
- Data source & currency. Compiled from recorded public marketplace and auction sales of US$200 or more, in US dollars, as of the latest recorded sale shown. Coverage is not exhaustive.
- Not financial or investment advice. For collector reference only — not an appraisal, offer, or guarantee of resale value. Art is volatile and illiquid; do your own research. Use is subject to our Terms & Conditions.
FAQ
What pose is this?
It is the Passing Through pose, the seated Companion with its gloved hands covering its face, one of KAWS's most recognizable images of weariness or sorrow.
Does open edition mean it is not collectible?
It is still collectible, but open editions are produced in larger numbers than KAWS's limited drops, so they carry less rarity premium and are valued for display and the strength of the icon.
Why is the Passing Through figure significant?
It distills KAWS's core appeal, a friendly cartoon body expressing sadness, and derives from his larger Passing Through sculpture.
How does it fit in a KAWS collection?
It serves as a foundational, display-ready Companion that many collectors pair with other poses and colorways.
Related KAWS Works
